New Ulm weekly review., 1887-08-31
A Surgeons Life.
From the Autobiography of the Late DR..
Z s5g.& GroRa G5tssz9. ss

Cross
Ihave always maintained that it it
impossible For any Eaan to be a great
surgeon il he is destitute, even in
considerable degree, OF the finer feeling
of our nature. j have often lain
awake for hours the night before an
Important operation, and suffered
great mental distress for days after is
was over, until J. was certain that my
patient was out Of danger. l do not
think that it is possible for criminal
to feel much worse the night before his
execution than "a, surgeon when he
knows that upon his skill and atten-
tion must depend the fate of a valua-
BILE citizen, husband, father, mother Or
child. Surgery under such circustan-
ces is aSterrible taskmaker, feeding like
a, vufture upon a. mans vitals. It is
surprising that any surgeon in large
practice should ever attain to a re-
spectacle old age, SO great are the
wear and tear OF mind and body
The world has seen many a sad
picture j will draw one Of the surgeon.
: 1t is midday; the sun is bright and
beautiful; all nature is redolent of
Joy; men and women crowd the street,
arrayed in their best, and all apparent
ly, is peace and happiness within and
wi5hout. In a. large house, almost
owerhanging this street so full of lite
and gayety, lies upon couch an
emaciated figure, once one of the
sweetest and loveliest of her sex, a
confidingsiand affectionate wife, and
the adored mother of numerous chill
dren, the subject of a trightful disease
ofGone OF her limbs, or, it may be, of
her jaw, ifnot OF a still more impor-
taalt part of her body In an adjoin-
ingroom is the surgeon, with his as
sistants, spreading out his instru-
nlsnts and getting things in readiness
signs to each his appropriate place.
One administers chloroform; anot
takes charge OF the limb; one screws
down the touruiquet upon the princi-
pal artery, and another holds
himself in readiness to follow the
KNIFE with ibis sponge. The flaps
are soon formed, the bone severed, the
vessels tied,,and the huge wound ap-
proximated. The woman is pale and
CHASTITY, the pulse hardly perceptible,
tllesskin wet,With clammy perspiration
the voice husky, the sight indistlnct.
Sonee one whispers into the ear of the
busy surgeon, '"The patient, I fear, is
dying Restoratives are administer
ed, the pulse gradually rises, and
after a few hours Of hard work and
terrible anxiety reaction OCCURS.
The poor woman was only faint from
the Joint influence Of the anasthetic,
shock and loss OF blood. An assist
ant, a. kindpof seminal, is placed as
guard over her, with instructions to
watch her with the closest care. and
to send word the moment the slightest
change for the worse is perceived.
The, surgeon goes about his business,
visits other patients on the way, and
at length, dong after the usual hour,
he sits down, worried and exhausted,
to his cold land comfortless meal,
with 6, mouth almost as, dry and a
voice as husky as his patients. He
eats mechanically, exchanges hardly
81 a worenwith ANY member of his family,
7 and s1aalenly fetires to his study, to
prescribe for his patien ts--never, dur
ing all this time, forgetting the poor
mutilated object he left a few hours
ago. He is about to lie down to get
a moments repose after the severe
toll Of the day, when suddenly he
hears aloud ring OF the bell, and a
servant breathless with excitement,
begs his immediate presence at the
sick chamber with the ,exclam alton,
'"They think Mrs. - is dying" He
hurries to the scene with rapid pace
and anxious feeling. The stump is o.
a crimsoclrcolor, and the patient lies
in a profound swoon. An artery has
suddenly given way; the exhaustion
is extren1e; cordials and stimulants
are at once brought into requusition,
the dressings are removed, and the
recusant vesseLis promptly secured.
The vital current ebbs and flows,
reaction issstill more tardy than be-
fore, and It'll not until a late hAac Of
the night that the surgeon, literally
NWorn out III mind and body, sretires
eto his home in~search of repose docs
ihe sleep? He tries, but can not close
his eyes. His lmiad is with his patient;
Me hears every footstep upon the
pavement under his window, :and is
liz neutrality-suspicious. OF tlseIring-
ing Of the night4bell. He is disturbed
Eny the widest ,fancies, he sees tthe
nmcst terrific objects, and, as he
misses early IN tine ,morning to hasten
t0IAis patients s chamber, he feels that
he ihas been cheated of the rest,of
Nhs.hh he stood SO much in need Us
this picture oventaaawn? I have sat
for IL a thousand times. and there lis
nottan educated, conscientious ssr-
geontthat will not GENTLY to its aoaa,
racg.